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New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday the state will lift the statewide mask requirement in schools effective Wednesday, including for children 2 years and older in childcare facilities. Counties and cities may still require masks in such settings.

The state previously ended its statewide mask-or-vaccine mandate for indoor businesses on Feb. 10. The new decision, Hochul said, came as COVID-19 cases have dropped by 98% since the omicron peak.

A statewide mask requirement is still in effect in state-regulated healthcare settings, adult care facilities and nursing homes. Masks are also required in correctional facilities, public transit, homeless and domestic violence shelters.

“This is a huge step forward for our kids and communities,” Hochul said. “And I am grateful to the students, educators and parents for their dedication to keeping us all safe.”

Our top priority has always been keeping kids in school and making sure our classrooms are safe.

Now, with COVID cases declining by 98% since the Omicron peak and updated @CDCgov guidance in place, we will lift the statewide school mask requirement this coming Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/WQ5NJKbF98

— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 27, 2022

On Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention altered the metrics of its COVID-19 guidelines. CDC’s new “COVID-19 community level” metrics — which contain low, medium and high levels — are determined based on three different indicators: new COVID-19 hospitalizations, hospital capacity and new positive cases. As of Thursday, around 62.7% of U.S. counties are at low or medium COVID-19 community levels, for which the CDC has no recommendation for indoor masking.

Onondaga County, under the new metric, is at a medium community level as of Thursday, according to the CDC.

Previously, the CDC used four levels of community transmission indicators: low, moderate, substantial and high. The levels were determined by the total number of new cases per 100,000 persons and the percentage of Nucleic Acid Amplification Test results that are positive in the past seven days.

New York state confirmed 1,671 positive COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with a seven-day average positivity rate of 1.94%, per state data. Around 85.6% of New York adults are fully vaccinated as of Sunday, according to the CDC.

Syracuse University has been under its “BLUE” COVID-19 alert level for one week. Under this level, all students, faculty and staff are required to wear masks during academic instruction regardless of vaccination status.

Masks are recommended, but not mandated, for vaccinated people indoors in the presence of others and outdoors in large groups. The university may also require people to wear masks during non-academic events on a case-by-case basis.

Published on February 27, 2022 at 11:41 pm

Contact Francis: btang05@syr.edu | @francis_towne